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There are hundreds of EAA chapters throughout
the world, each with the individual flavor of their own local area's aviation movement.
Though each chapter may have specific goals and interests, they all support flying, aviation and its promotion. We are a diversified group of individuals
that share in the love for aviation. You are welcomed to join our ranks. Click on the Becoming a Member link here or above to join us.
Some FlyingThoughts (Obviously from an Airline Pilot)
Asking what a pilot thinks about the FAA is like asking a fireplug what it thinks about
dogs.
The only thing worse than a captain who never flew as a co-pilot, is a co-pilot who
was once a captain.
Hand flying an ILS in a gusty crosswind is easier than adjusting the shower controls
in a layover hotel.
Most crew meals taste like warmed-over chicken because that's what it is.
Everything
is accomplished through teamwork until something goes wrong... then one pilot gets the blame.
A
good simulator ride is like successful surgery on a cadaver.
Standard checklist practice
requires pilots to read to each other procedures used every trip and recite from memory those needed once every five years.
A
crew scheduler is the type who wakes his wife at midnight to carry out the trash, then sends her back out to let the cat back
in.
An FAA investigation is conducted by non-flying types who take six months to itemize
the mistakes made by a crew that had six seconds to do something.
Q & A CORNER
6/29 07
Question: My FAA medical certificate needs to be renewed. I previously reported high blood
pressure and a broken arm. Can AOPA advise how to fill out the application for my upcoming medical exam?
Answer: Unless the FAA Aerospace Medical Certification Division has specifically requested
a follow-up report to accompany your next medical application, you should have your treating physician write a brief status report. For the blood pressure, include a mention of the medication(s) you're taking and reports of three recent blood pressure
readings (taken over a few days) that show your blood pressure is still controlled. If your broken arm healed completely and
you have no orthopedic limitations, you shouldn't need any new information. Just check "yes" for any items on the medical
application that you answered "yes" to before, and in the explanation box, write, "previously reported, no change." As long
as you are otherwise found qualified for the class of medical for which you are applying, the medical examiner may issue the
certificate at the time of the examination. A great way to prepare for your FAA medical is to use TurboMedical, AOPA's online interactive medical application planning tool.
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Question: I recently allowed my flight currency to lapse and took a flight review to get current again.
The instructor marked most of the flight review time in my logbook as pilot in command (PIC). I thought you weren't allowed
to log PIC if you were not current? Answer: Your instructor was correct in marking it PIC in your logbook. There
is a difference between acting as PIC and logging PIC time. To legally act as PIC, the pilot must have a current medical certificate
and have all required endorsements, ratings, and recency of experience for the type of aircraft being flown and the flight
conditions under which the flight is conducted (FAR 61.3, 61.31, 61.56, 61.57). In the case of your flight review, your instructor
was acting as PIC and logged his or her time as such. However, PIC can also be logged by an appropriately rated pilot, current
or not, when he or she is the sole manipulator of the controls per FAR Part 61.51(e). More information is available on AOPA Online.
Question: Where can I find a listing of National Weather Service (NWS)
contractions?
Answer: AOPA provides an alphabetized list online that includes all the NWS contractions from "abndt" (abundant) to "zr" (freezing rain). In
addition, Advisory Circular 00-45E, "Aviation Weather Services," which is published jointly by the FAA and the NWS, explains
the elements and the coding in METAR reports. Download the AC.
Question: When setting a code into a knob-type transponder, I've been
advised not to scroll through the range of numbers, especially on the first (far left) digit, but rather to carefully turn
the knob to the correct numberand leave it therefor each of the digits. Can you tell me why there is concern about this?
Answer:
The concern is likely regarding the digit "7." When setting a new code, be careful not to scroll through the digit "7" on
the far left because all codes beginning with "7" signify an emergency and will set off alarms at air traffic control centers.
The code 7700 means "Help! Mayday!" and is the same as if you declare an emergency using the radio. The code 7600 means you
have lost communication with air traffic control, and 7500 means that you've been hijacked. If you squawk 7500 the controller
will covertly respond, "Confirm you are squawking 7500." If you confirm, your flight will be carefully monitored, and you
can expect law enforcement personnel to surround your airplane when you land.
Question: Do you know how I can obtain a copy of everything the FAA has
in both my medical and pilot files?
Answer: For a fee you can receive a copy of everything in your FAA file.
Send a signed, written request, stating your name, date of birth, social security number, and/or certificate number, along
with a check or money order for $10 to the FAA Airmen Certification Branch, AFS-760, Post Office Box 25082, Oklahoma City,
OK 73125-0082. Or if you prefer, you can download the FAA's online request form and mail it to the above address.
Question: I have high blood pressure as well as high
cholesterol. I'm taking a combination of medications to treat the conditions. How can I find out if these medications are
acceptable to the FAA?
Answer: AOPA has a database of medications that you can search by trade name, condition, or medication type. So, using
the second search option, "What medical condition does this drug treat?" choose "blood pressure" or "cholesterol reduction"
(you can choose only one at a time) and then click on the button at the bottom of the page that says "search for a medicine."
The result of your search will be a chart of medications alphabetized by the trade name of the drug. The chart will tell you
whether each drug is FAA allowed, what its classification is, what medical condition it treats, and what medical information
the FAA requires from you when you are using the drug. There is also a link for more information that will take you to AOPA's
subject report on the topic.
Question: I happened to be watching the old movie PT-109 the other day
and the Australian coast watcher in the movie stated in his radio transmissions the words "Peter Tare." I always thought this
was his name, but someone told me that "Peter" and "Tare" were part of the old phonetic alphabet. Do you know?
Answer:
In researching the answer to this question, we found there are dozens of phonetic alphabets used by many different groups.
The words "Peter" and "Tare" were part of the pre-1954 Navy radio alphabet. Here is that complete alphabet: Able, Baker, Charlie,
Dog, Easy, Fox, George, How, Item, Jig, King, Love, Mike, Nan, Oboe, Peter, Queen, Roger, Sugar, Tare, Uncle, Victor, William,
X-ray, Yoke, Zebra.
States list
of those that publish aeronautical charts. Some also offer a separate
airport directory. Some charge nominal fees. Just call and ask for the chart and directory. Alabama,
205/242-4480; Arizona, 602-255-7691; Arkansas, 501-376-6781; California, 916-322-3039; Colorado, 303-261-4418; Connecticut,
203-594-2533; Florida, 904-488-8444; Georgia, 404/-651-5204; Idaho, 208-334-8775; Illinois, 217-785-8500; Indiana, 317-232-1496;
Iowa, 515-237-3301; Kansas, 785-296-2553; Kentucky, 502-564-4480; Louisiana, 504-379-1242; Maryland, 410-859-7065; Michigan,
517-335-9283; Minnesota, 651-296-8202; Mississippi, 601-354-6970; Missouri, 573-751-2589; Montana,
406-444-2506; Nebraska, 402-471-2371; New Mexico, 505-827-0332; North Carolina, 919-840-0112; North Dakota, 701-224-2748;
Ohio, 614-793-5040; Oklahoma, 405-521-2377; Pennsylvania, 717-948-4642; Rhode Island, 401-737-4000; South Carolina, 803-822-5400;
South Dakota, 605-773-3574; Tennessee, 615-741-3208; Texas, 512-416-4502; Utah, 801-533-5057; Vermont, 802-828-2093; Virginia,
804-236-3624; Washington, 206-764-4131; West Virginia, 304-558-0330; Wisconsin, 608-266-3351; Wyoming, 307-777-4880.
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